Hi all! I am confused as to using our recently purchased Global Pass. We will be traveling from Zurich to Salzburg, Salzburg to Garmisch and Garmisch to Stuttgart. We purchased the 3Day, within 1 month pass. Now I am second guessing myself as to whether or not this was the right thing to do. Is this pass good for our itinerary? I am seeing extra booking fees....or am I looking at this wrong? Any input is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
Paris
7291 posts
When does your trip take place? If you can get the cheap advance tickets when bookings open and are happy to commit to a time, then it will cost:
- Zürich - Salzburg = not quite sure, but probably around 40-50 euros per person if you book early
- Salzburg - Garmisch = 25 euros for 1 person and 32 for 2, anytime after 9am, with a Bayern ticket
- Garmisch - Stuttgart = about 25-30 euros per person
So getting the $250 Eurail pass refunded, even with the 15% penalty, is really worth it.
But if your trip is, say, next week, it is too late for cheap tickets on your first and Thurs routes so stick with the pass, the extra cost won't be that bad.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We are also considering the discounted local bus service and discounted tourist attractions (i.e. Mount Pilatus) that are offered with the Global Pass. What I am confused about is....do we need to book reservations for any of these trips? We leave on September 23rd.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
No, you don't need to book reservations for any of these trips. It's completely optional and sometimes not even possible. But Zurich to Salzburg is a longer ride, so you may want to pay about 4 euros locally for a seat assignment, or at https://tickets.oebb.at/en/ticket?cref=oebb-allgemein, choose "Seat only, no ticket" and plan to pay with a PayPal account for reliable credit approval.
Posted by
Florida
43 posts
Have you looked on the Eurail site and tried to find trains? Yes you will pay booking and reservation fee on a high speed train. 5.5 hours from Zurich to Salzburg on the high speed. I have no idea how long on the regionals and buses. I do know that the High speed is a straight through, no changes. I have no idea what the reservation will cost and know that there will be a booking fee also. All worth it to me as it made it easy for my first time in Europe. Go play on the eurail site. You can go all the way to paying for your reservation and back out. Also, some routes do not show before 30 days out.